Spring assembly for use in the interiors of mattresses, cushions and the like



Feb. 1, 1966 D. KEEBLE 3,231,906

SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN THE INTERIORS OF MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS AND THE LIKE Original Filed April 21, 1959 INVENTOR DAw D KEEBLE M T V w, AIM/1, W

ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,231,906 SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN THE INTERIORS 0F MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS AND THE LIKE David Keeble, 39 Bridle Road, Bramcote, England Original application Apr. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 807,847, pow Patent No. 3,160,180, dated Dec. 8, 1964. Divided and this application Apr. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 188,412 4 Claims. (Cl. -351) This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 807,847, filed April 21, 1959, now Patent Number 3,160,180, granted December 8, 1964.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in the construction of spring assemblies for use in the interiors of mattresses, cushions and the like, and more particularly to a novel connection between the customary tie wire and end turns of upholstery springs.

In the construction of a spring assembly for use in the interiors of mattresses, cushions and the like, it is customary to arrange coil springs in columns and rows, with the rows being spaced apart and the individual springs in the rows being immediately adjacent each other, and with tie wires connecting together the adjacent springs in the rows and the tire wires extending between the rows to connect together the rows. However, difficulties have arisen in the past with this type of construction. The tie wires have two major requirements. First, the tie wires must accurately secure together the end turns of the coil springs and at the same time must provide for a pivotal connection between the end turns of the coil springs. Numerous attempts have been made to provide this desired connection and while certain of the tie wire connections have met the above requirements, the relationship of the tie wires with respect to the end turns of the springs results in an undue pressure being placed on the tie wires by the springs and the resultant breaking of thetie wires.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a novel spring assembly wherein end turns of adjacent springs in rows are connected together by tie wires, the tie wires having intermediate portions thereof wrapped around overlapped end turns of the springs, and the tie wires being so positioned with respect to the end turns of the springs so as to be protected thereby and not subject to the usual breakage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spring assembly wherein springs are arranged in rows which are spaced apart, with the end turns of adjacent springs being connected together. by tie wires which also serve to connect together the rows of springs, the tie wires having an intermediate, generally V-shaped portion for each row of springs and the V-shaped portion being wrapped around end turns of a'pair of springs in each row so as to provide the necessary connection between the individual springs to form the spring assembly, and wherein fiexure of the individual springs may be had.

A further object of'this invention istoprovidel a ne wire connection between two end turns of springs wherein the end turns are disposed in overlapped relation and include an outer end turn and an inner end turn, the tie wire having an intermediate portion wrapped around the outer end turn and the inner end turn and the tie wire proper lying generally in the plane of the inner end turn and offset therefrom so as to be protected by the outer end turn whereby undue pressures on the tie wire proper are prevented, and breakage of the tie wire is eliminated. A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel tie wire and spring end turn connection wherein end turns of adjacent springs are disposed in overlapped relation to provide inner and outer end turns, and the tie wire has an intermediate portion which is wrapped about 3,231,906 Patented Feb. 1, 1966 the overlapped portions of the end turns, the tie wire being offset from the inner end turn and lying generally in the plane thereof, the tie wire having first loops about the inner end turn spaced circumferentially of the end turns, and second loops about the two end turns with the second loops also being spaced circumferentially of the end turns, and an intermediate portion conforming generally to that portion of the inner end turn between the second loops and engaging the inner surface of the inner end turn.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a spring as sembly formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and shows further the details of the connection between the tie wires and the end turns.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view through a typical tie wire and shows the offset configuration of the intermediate portion thereof prior to being wrapped around a pair of end turns.

FIGURE- 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the tie wires prior to the wrapping thereof around the end turns and shows further the configuration of the intermediate portion thereof.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view looking down on the two lowermost turns of a pair of springs, and shows more specifically the details of the connection of the end turns.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing further the connection between the pair of end turns, the end turns being shown in phantom lines to clearly illustrate the configuration of the wrapped portion of the tie wire.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6, and shows further the details of the connection between two end turns.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a spring assembly which is formed of a plurality of springs 8 which are of the conventional upholstery type with each spring including a plurality of intermediate turns 9 and a pair of end turns 10. The construction of the springs 8 is conventional and will not be described in further detail. i

The springs 8 are disposed in spaced apart, parallel rows, with the springs being transversely aligned so as to be in columns. Adjacent springs in a row are connected together by a tie wire 11, the tie Wire 11. extending transversely of the rows and serving-to connect the rows together as a unit.

In accordance with this invention, end turns 10 of two adjacentsprings-s are. disposed in partially overlapping relation, as is best shown in FIGURE 5." The tie wire 11 is then wrapped around these overlapped end turns. To this end, the tie wire 11 is first formed with a plurality of inter-mediate portions in the form of generally V-shaped loops 12, there being one loop 12 for each row of springs. In order to facilitate the initial engagement of the overlapped end turns 10 and to properly position the tie wire 11 after the end turns 10 have been secured together, the loop 12 is offset from the main portion of the tie wire 11, as is clearly shown in FIG- URE 3, and a hook-shaped part 13 is formed at each end of the loop 12. The hook-shaped part 13 is made of a suitable size to fit around the end turn of one of the springs 8 of each pair of springs, and after the end turn of the adjacent spring has been placed in position with the offset parts resting on the end turn, the loop 12 is wrapped around both end turns to secure them together, as is clearly shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7.

It is to be noted that the hook-shaped part 13 engages the innermost of the end turns 10 and in the wrapping of the loop 12 around the end turns 10, the hookshaped parts 13 form first loops 14 which pass only around the innermost end turn 10 and at circumferentially spaced positions thereon. Further wrapping of the loop 12 of the tie wire 11 results in the passing of the tie wire 11 around both of the end turns 10 to form second loops 15 which extend around both of the end turns 10.

When the wrapping of the loop 12 around the end turns 10 is completed, an intermediate or bight portion 16 of the loop 12 is forced against the inner surface of the inner end turn 10 and is shaped to conform to the associated portion of the inner end turn 10, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 5.

It is to be noted that after the two end turns 10 have been wrapped by the loop 12 of the tie wire 11, due to the initial offsetting of the loop 12 with respect to the main portion of the tie wire 11, the tie wire 11 is offset generally from the inner end turn 10 and lies generally in the plane of the inner end turn 10 as opposed to the plane of the outer end turn. This is contrary to the usual tie wire position, and it will be apparent that the tie wire 11 immediately adjacent the loops 14 is thus protected by the outer end turn 10 and is not subject to abrasion as is the customary tie wire. When pressure is placed upon any portion of the spring assembly, the springs 8 are free to flex and twist relative to each other within the limitations of the connections provided by the tie wires 11. However, no matter how the pressure is applied on the spring assembly, at no time is pressure placed directly onto the tie wires 11 since they are protected by the outer end turns 10. Thus, the normal points of pressure on tie wires in spring assemblies which resulted in breakage of tie wires has been eliminated.

It is particularly pointed out that the specific manner in which the tie wires 11 are wrapped around the end turns of the springs 8, although only varying slightly from known tie wire construction, produces a highly desirable, yet unobvious, result.

The tie wires 11 may be straight between adjacent springs 8, or, if desired, the tie wires may be crirnped between the rows of springs 8 to provide some resiliency spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spring assembly for use in the interiors of mattresses, cushions and the like comprising a plurality of spaced rows of upholstery springs each having an end turn at each end thereof, the springs being arranged in alignment transversely of said rows so as to be in columns, the end turns of each spring in a row being disposed in overlapping crossing relation relative to adjacent end turns of adjacent springs with each pair of overlapped end turns including an inner end turn and an outer end turn, a plurality of tie wires extending transversely of said rows and securing together overlapped ones of said end turns and connecting adjacent rows of said springs to maintain said rows in said spaced relation, each of said tie wires being laterally offset to one side of the overlapping portions of adjacent end turns and having intermediate portions wrapped around said overlapped end turn portions, each tie wire being vertically ofifset from the associated outer end turns and lying generally in theplane of the overlapped inner end turn portions and thereby being protected by the associated outer end turns.

2. The spring assembly of claim 1 wherein each tie wire intermediate portion is first wrapped around spaced parts of the associated inner end turn and then around the overlapped portions of the associated outer and inner end turns.

3. A connection between end turns of adjacent coil springs, said end turns having portions in overlapping crossing relation and said end turns including an outer end turn and an inner end turn, a tie wire extending generally parallel to said end turn portions and lying in the plane of said inner end turn, said tie wire having an intermediate portion including two spaced legs and a connecting bight portion, each of said legs being first passed outwardly and then inwardly around said inner end turn adjacent said overlapping portions and then being wrapped outwardly and then inwardly around said crossing portions.

4. A connection between end turns of adjacent coil springs, said end turns having portions in overlapping crossing relation and said end turns including an outer end turn and an inner end turn, a tie wire extending generally parallel to said end turn portions and lying in the plane of said inner end turn, said tie wire having an intermediate portion including two spaced legs and a connecting bight portion, each of said legs being first passed outwardly and then inwardly around said inner end turn adjacent said overlapping portions and then being wrapped outwardly and then inwardly around said crossing portions, said bight portion bearing against and conforming generally to the inner surface of said inner end turn intermediate the wrapped portions of said inner end turn.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN THE INTERIORS OF MATTRESSES, CUSHIONS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED ROWS OF UPHOLSTERY SPRINGS EACH HAVING AN END TURN AT EACH END THEREOF, THE SPRINGS BEING ARRANGED IN ALIGNMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ROWS SO AS TO BE IN COLUMNS THE END TURNS OF EACH SPRING IN A ROW BEING DISPOSED IN OVERLAPPING CROSSING RELATION RELATIVE TO ADJACENT END TURNS OF ADJACENT SPRINGS WITH EACH PAIR OF OVERLAPPED END TURNS INCLUDING AN INNER AND TURN AND AN OUTER END TURN, A PLURALITY OF THE WIRES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID ROWS AND SECURING TOGETHER OVERLAPPED ONES OF SAID END TURNS AND CONNECTING ADJACNET ROWS OF SAID SPRINGS TO MAINTAIN SAID ROWS IN SAID SPACED RELATION, EACH OF SAID TIE WIRES BEING LATERALLY OFFSET TO ONE SIDE OF THE OVERLAPPING PORTIONS OF ADJACENT END TURNS AND HAVING INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS WRAPPED AROUND SAID OVERLAPPED END TURN PORTIONS, EACH TIE WIRE BEING VERTICALLY OFFSET FROM THE ASSOCIATED OUTER END TURNS AND LYING GENERALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE OVERLAPPED INNER END TURN PORTIONS AND THEREBY BEING PROTECTED BY THE ASSOCIATED OUTER END TURNS. 